A student is writing a report and wants to edit it to make better transitions among the paragraphs. Read the students report and answer the question that follows.
President Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863 at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Pennsylvania. The first speaker at the dedication, Edward Everett, orated for more than two hours. President Lincoln spoke after him, and his speech lasted little more than two minutes. Afterward, Everett told Lincoln that he wished he could express in two hours what Lincoln had said in two minutes.
Lincoln had delivered one of the most memorable speeches in history. This was fitting, as over 50,000 soldiers had died at the Battle of Gettysburg, a turning point in the Civil War. Lincoln's speech focused on a "new birth of freedom" in the United States, as he invoked the Declaration of Independence and its principles of liberty and equality. He stated clearly the need for the nation to be both united and free.
The oldest copies of the speech are different from one another. The Library of Congress has two copies, and the others were recorded by Lincoln well after the speech. One copy was made for Everett, but "Bancroft" and "Bliss" versions also exist. The "Bliss" version is carved into a wall of the Lincoln Memorial in our nation's capital.Choose the sentence that provides the BEST transition between paragraphs 2 and 3.
A.
It is not exactly certain which words Lincoln spoke that day.
B.
The spirit of Lincoln's speech is remembered well today.
C.
Lincoln was certain about his vision for the course of the nation.
D.
Lincoln's speech had surprised the crowd.
A. It is not exactly certain which words Lincoln spoke that day.
A. It is not exactly certain which words Lincoln spoke that day.
To choose the sentence that provides the best transition between paragraphs 2 and 3, we need to look for a sentence that connects the ideas or themes being discussed in each paragraph.
In paragraph 2, the focus is on the significance of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and its connection to the Battle of Gettysburg and the principles of liberty and equality.
In paragraph 3, the focus shifts to the different versions of the speech and the existence of multiple copies.
Option A: "It is not exactly certain which words Lincoln spoke that day." This sentence does not directly connect the ideas between paragraphs 2 and 3. It provides information about the uncertainty of the exact words spoken by Lincoln, but it does not establish a clear transition.
Option B: "The spirit of Lincoln's speech is remembered well today." While this sentence mentions Lincoln's speech, it does not specifically connect with the topic of different versions of the speech or the existence of multiple copies.
Option C: "Lincoln was certain about his vision for the course of the nation." This sentence does not directly connect to the topic of different versions of the speech or the existence of multiple copies.
Option D: "Lincoln's speech had surprised the crowd." This sentence does not directly connect to the topic of different versions of the speech or the existence of multiple copies.
Therefore, the best transition between paragraphs 2 and 3 is Option A: "It is not exactly certain which words Lincoln spoke that day." This transition acknowledges the uncertainty surrounding the content of Lincoln's speech, which is relevant to the different versions and copies mentioned in paragraph 3.